Typically, channel switching is made possible in the television (TV) by means of a remote controller. The remote controller is a device for controlling the TV. The remote controller enables the user to perform channel switching by inputting a channel number directly, and by sequentially pressing the up/down navigation buttons to navigate through the list of channels. Further, display device in the remote controller displays the last viewed channel. Recent advances in the field of handheld control devices have enabled the use of smartphones as a remote controller device for the TV. Examples of handheld control devices include, but are not limited to smart phones, tablet computers, smart watches, laptops. The handheld control devices are installed with control applications to simulate the functions of the remote controller in the handheld control devices. Examples of control application include but are not limited to “Google TV remote”, “LG TV remote”, “Xbox Smart glass”, “Samsung WatchOn” and “Sony Media remote”. The handheld control devices are hereinafter referred to as user control devices.
Existing control applications provide the channel program thumbnails in a display screen of the user control device. Often, it is desired to view the list of previously viewed broadcast channels to switch to a previously viewed broadcast channel. A user is navigating through the broadcast channels during a commercial break in the first viewed channel. And, the user wants to switch to the previously viewed channel. After a sequence of switches in channel, the user tends to forget the channel number of the first viewed channel. It is desired to switch to earlier viewed channels with a single touch on the user control device. Further, it is desired to provide an interface on the user control device with viewed channel history.
In an existing system, a channel history is displayed in the web browser of the display device. The system provides an interface for displaying thumbnails of broadcasted content on the paired device. However, the system does not provide a mechanism to send a channel switch command by selecting the thumbnail on the paired device. Further, the system does not provide easy navigation of previously viewed channels.
Even though other existing system displays a channel view history, they do not provide a user interface to select one channel among the channel view history. Further, the existing systems do not disclose a method of displaying channel view history data on the handheld device along with metadata information of the viewed channels.
In light of the foregoing discussion, there is a need for a method and system to facilitate channel control and navigation on a paired device, thereby providing easy navigation of previously viewed channels in a single touch. Further, it is desired to transfer the channel view history and related metadata information to the paired device.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.